The way Indian consumers communicate is advancing rapidly. From simple SMS alerts to rich, interactive conversations, brands today demand more intelligent, visual, and action-driven messaging.
This is where RCS messaging service (Rich Communication Services) comes into the landscape and is effortlessly transforming the communication experience.
By combining the reliability of text messages with the richness of apps RCS has turned out to be the next-generation upgrade to SMS. This can be better illustrated as a WhatsApp-like interaction, delivered directly inside your customer’s native messaging app. All this without even requiring downloads or login.
With 2025 seeing wider Android adoption and Apple set to support RCS on iOS, Indian brands are now actively shifting toward RCS Messaging Platforms like Pingverse to deliver immersive, high-conversion messaging campaigns.
This guide breaks down what RCS is, why it matters for Indian businesses, and most importantly - how to integrate RCS into your marketing strategy for maximum ROI.
What Is RCS? A Quick Overview
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an amplified messaging channel designed to replace outdated SMS with a more modern, interactive system.
✔ Where RCS Works
- Google Messages / Native Android Messaging App
- Apple iMessage (support expected from 2024 onward)
✔ What Makes RCS Powerful?
Through RCS, customers can directly interact within their messaging app. They are provided with a wide range of tools , like they can browse catalogs, tap CTAs, watch videos, book appointments, make payments, and chat with agents or bots in real time.
✔ Popular RCS Message Types
- Rich Cards with images and buttons
- Carousels for product discovery
- Suggested replies (quick actions)
- File sharing
- High-resolution photos/videos (up to 10MB)
- Location sharing
- Verified sender branding
- Fallback SMS for unsupported devices
RCS is essentially the future of mobile communication - interactive, visual, branded, secure, and customer-friendly.
Why RCS Messaging Matters for Indian Brands in 2025
Here’s what makes RCS a game-changer:
1. Visual Product Demonstrations
Brands can send HD videos, demo clips, interactive brochures, or product carousels to showcase offerings, all inside the RCS messaging app.
This leads to higher engagement and better recall compared to standard SMS.
2. Tailored, Personalized Communication
RCS supports segmentation and personalization.
A fintech brand can send tailored loan offers, a retail brand can send personalized recommendations, and a B2B company can share industry-specific insights, at scale.
3. Faster, Streamlined Sales Processes
Sales teams can send:
- post-meeting summaries
- brochures
- feature comparisons
- scheduling links
Directly through RCS messages, shortening the sales cycle significantly.
4. Real-Time, Automated Customer Support
Using AI chatbots integrated with an RCS Messaging Platform, brands can automate:
- FAQs
- appointment bookings
- support flows
- product queries
This reduces support load while improving satisfaction.
5. Powerful Event Marketing & Lead Nurturing
RCS can be the best choice to deliver interactive invites, event reminders, maps, speaker details, and 1-click registration buttons.
Perfect for webinars, conferences, product launches, and trade fairs.
6. Interactive Surveys & Feedback
Replacing plain SMS surveys, RCS enables:
- emoji reactions
- visual buttons
- multi-step forms
- rich response journeys
Leading to significantly higher completion rates.
7. Verified Sender Trust
RCS displays the brand’s:
- name
- logo
- brand colors
- verification badge
As a result credibility is significantly improved and frauds are prevented, which is fundamental to India’s BFSI and e-commerce sectors.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Integrate RCS Messaging Into Your Indian Marketing Strategy
Step 1: Choose a Certified RCS Messaging Platform
Start by partnering with a platform like Pingverse that supports:
- verified sender setup
- Google Jibe compatibility
- fallback options for non-RCS devices
- campaign analytics
- RCS + SMS + WhatsApp orchestration
This foundation ensures high deliverability and smooth integration.
Step 2: Identify the Right RCS Use Cases
Not every message needs RCS.
Use RCS for:
- Promotional/product showcases
- Appointment booking
- Upsell/cross-sell
- Account activation
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Rich onboarding journeys
- Event marketing
- EMI reminders with visual CTAs
- Customer support automation
Use SMS or WhatsApp for urgent, sensitive messages.
Step 3: Build Interactive RCS Message Flows
RCS allows multi-step engagement inside the chat itself:
Example
Retail: Carousel → Select product → View details → Add to cart → Pay
Fintech: Apply CTA → Document checklist → Eligibility check → KYC
Healthcare: Doctor specialty → Book slot → Confirm appointment
Think of RCS as a mini-app inside the messaging inbox.
Step 4: Personalize Using Data
Segment users by:
- past purchases
- behavior
- location
- app activity
- demographics
- interest categories
Send tailored RCS messages such as:
“Your recommended skincare routine is ready — tap to explore the products you viewed last week.”
Step 5: Automate Customer Journeys
Integrate RCS into your:
- onboarding workflows
- lead nurturing journeys
- loyalty campaigns
- retention sequences
A unified RCS Automation Journey could look like:
Email → RCS carousel → SMS fallback → WhatsApp nurture → RCS support bot
Step 6: Track Performance & Optimize
Measure:
- delivery rates
- read receipts
- CTA clicks
- carousel interactions
- conversions
- device compatibility
- fallback mapping
RCS’s analytics far surpass plain SMS, giving you deep customer insights.
How RCS Fits Into an Omnichannel Strategy
RCS doesn’t replace other channels, it amplifies them.
Combine RCS with:
✔ WhatsApp for personalized chat
✔ SMS for urgent alerts
✔ Email for detailed communication
✔ Push notifications for app users
A unified omnichannel approach through Pingverse ensures cohesive branding and synchronized behavior-driven journeys.
Top RCS Message Templates Indian Brands Use
Product Carousel
- Perfect for retail, electronics, or FMCG.
Appointment Booking
- Ideal for healthcare, salons, banking.
Real-Time Support
- For e-commerce, logistics, insurance.
Event Updates
- Invitations, reminders, venue maps.
EMI/Payment Reminders
- With instant pay-now buttons.
Final Thoughts
RCS is not the future; it's the present of brand communication in India.
With Apple’s expanded support and Android’s continued dominance in the market, RCS today offers brands a powerful opportunity to deliver app-like experiences directly to the messaging inbox.
Therefore, to have an edge in this competitive market, start integrating RCS messaging service into your marketing strategy to create richer interactions and smarter customer journeys, together resulting in higher conversions.
And with a single platform like Pingverse, every RCS message can be made into a moment.
FAQs
1. Does RCS messaging work in places with poor internet connectivity?
This is also why RCS requires an active internet connection to send rich media messages via mobile data or Wi-Fi. With the use of an advanced RCS messaging platform, however, brands can enable automatic SMS fallback so the user will always get the important information.
2. Will SMS be fully replaced by RCS in the near future?
RCS might be winning by providing a richer experience. But in a country like India, where OTPS, banking alerts, and compliance-based messages depend heavily on the SMS infrastructure, RCS cannot easily replace it completely.
3. Will the RCS messaging service benefit small businesses in India?
Of course, small businesses can use RCS for: visual product catalogs, booking confirmations, customer FAQs and promotional campaigns. Because RCS doesn't require app downloads, even smaller brands can offer a premium, app-like experience at a lower cost.
4. Is RCS secure to send transactional communication?
Yes, it is. RCS offers end-to-end encryption, verified sender IDs, and secure multimedia features, making the technology safe for transactional interactions.
5. How does RCS compare with WhatsApp Business Messaging?
WhatsApp is app-based, widely adopted, but requires WhatsApp to be installed on the users' phone.
RCS works on the native messaging app, offering app-like interactions without downloads.
Many brands in India use both channels:
- WhatsApp for conversation support.
- RCS for rich promotional journeys.
6. Does the customer have to install any new app to be able to see RCS messages?
No, that's the beauty of RCS.
Customers receive RCS messages directly through the default messaging app, which would be Google Messages or the native Android app. This reduces friction and increases engagement.
7. Which industries see the highest ROI with RCS messaging?
Top-performing industries include:
- E-commerce
- Banking & Fintech
- Travel & Hospitality
- Healthcare
- Retail
These are among the top industries which benefit most from visual product displays, appointment flows, booking journeys, and tap-to-act CTAs.
8. Is RCS costlier than SMS?
RCS offers interactive features and rich media which makes it 1.5x-2.5x more costlier than SMS. However, the higher cost is balanced as brands often get higher click-through rates and conversion rates using RCS that reduce the effective cost per action. Most enterprises see RCS as a high-value investment.
9. Is it possible to integrate RCS with chatbots or AI?
Yes, RCS supports conversational journeys using AI chatbots for support, onboarding, and product discovery and booking. This is powerful, combining automation with mobile-native communication.
10. How does RCS fit into an omnichannel strategy?
When combined with SMS, email, WhatsApp, and push notifications-RCS delivers best results. Brands, via unified platforms like Pingverse, manage multistep journeys where customers get the right message on the right channel at the right time.
11. Will RCS work on iPhone users in India?
Apple announced support for RCS, starting in 2024-2025. When fully rolled out in India, brands will be able to reach both Android and iOS users with rich, interactive RCS experiences, dramatically expanding campaign reach.
